Well, well, well, lemme tell ya somethin’ ’bout this tennis game. I hear folks talkin’, always wonderin’, is it let or net in tennis? Sounds like a bunch of gibberish to me, but I been watchin’ them young’uns play, and I think I got it figured out, mostly.
So, they got this net, right? Stretched across the middle there. And they gotta whack that little ball over it. Now, sometimes that ball, it hits the top of that net, just barely. That’s what they call a “let” I think, yeah, a let.

is it let or net in tennis? If the ball goes over and land in the right spot then they call it a let, they do. They say that there gonna do it again if it land in that little box.
It don’t count, you see. It’s like it never even happened. They just do the whole thing over again. Serve it up again, like a fresh start. They call it a let.
- They hit the ball.
- It hits the net.
- It lands in the right spot.
- They call it a “let.”
- They do it over.
Now, that’s different from when it just hits the net and falls back, or goes somewhere it ain’t supposed to. Then they don’t say nothin’. I reckon that’s just regular play. Just a bad hit, I guess. is it let or net in tennis, well, if it don’t go over, it ain’t a let, that’s for sure.
But that “let” thing, it’s like a do-over. A second chance. Like when you burn the biscuits and gotta start all over again. Only in tennis, it’s a “let.”
These young folks they yell and holler about it. They call out “let!” real loud. Then they just go on like nothin’ happened. Sometimes they get mad about it though, I seen that too.

But that there net, it’s important, that’s for sure. Gotta get the ball over it, and if ya hit it just right, and it bounces in that there box, well, that’s a “let.” And you get to do it again.
I don’t know why they make it so complicated. Seems to me they could just play the game, but I guess they got their rules. Just like we got rules for makin’ cornbread, these tennis folks got rules for their game. And one of them rules is about that “let.” is it let or net in tennis, I still can’t see how they get them confused.
I heard some folks sayin’ “net” when they mean “let.” Makes no sense to me. The net’s the net, and a let’s a let. They’re different things. Like apples and oranges. Can’t call an apple an orange, can ya? It’s just silly.
So, if you’re ever watchin’ that tennis game, and you hear ’em yell “let!” now you know what’s goin’ on. It’s a do-over. A second chance. And it only happens when that ball hits the top of that net and still lands where it’s supposed to. is it let or net in tennis, I think the main thing is, it’s gotta go over the net, and land in the right square. If it don’t, then it ain’t a let.
Them professionals, they don’t get to argue about it, neither. What the umpire says, goes. Just like in my kitchen, what I say goes! No arguin’ with me about the cornbread, and no arguin’ with the umpire about the “let.” That’s just how it is.

- Ball hits the net and goes over.
- Lands in the service box.
- That’s a let, do it over!
They got all sorts of rules in tennis. Some make sense, some don’t. But this “let” rule, it’s a pretty simple one, once you get the hang of it. Just remember, is it let or net in tennis, it’s all about that ball hittin’ the net and landin’ in the right spot. If it does, it’s a let. If it don’t, keep playin’!
I seen a lot of things in my day, but this tennis game, it’s somethin’ else. All that runnin’ and jumpin’ and yellin’. But hey, if it keeps ’em happy, that’s all that matters, I reckon. Just like a good plate of fried chicken and cornbread keeps me happy. And rememberin’ that “let” rule, well, that just makes watchin’ the game a little bit more fun.
So there you have it, that’s all I know about is it let or net in tennis, hope it makes sense to y’all.